THE Nainital High Court, on December 20, 2022, ordered nearly 80,000 people living in the settlement next to the Railway Station in Haldwani , to evacuate the place, saying that they were encroaching into the land of the Railways.The orders came as shock to the families who had settled there centuries ago.
THE 17th All India Conference of CITU began with a rousing reception to the working class and their representatives who had come from all corners of the country to Bengaluru to take part in the five-day conference from January 18-22, 2023. 1,500 delegates representing around 62 lakh members from 25 states and union territories and representatives of fraternal organisations are attending the conference.The conference began in the morning on January 18th with flag hoisting.
THE RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat in an interview to the editors of the RSS publications, Organiser and the Panchjanya (January 15,) dealt with a range of questions. Bhagwat’s comments should be taken as the 2023 update of the writings of RSS founders like Hedgewar and Golwalkar for the building of a Hindu Rashtra. He says “Hindustan is a Hindu rashtra. This prosperous and powerful Hindu society—Hindu Rashtra—Bharat—will reach to the pinnacle of its glory and provide leadership to the world.” The RSS spelled out its project when India was a British colony.
THE 13th national conference of the AIDWA took place at a time when the second Narendra Modi government and its corporate and right-wing allies have used the pandemic and its aftermath to thrust their neo-liberal policies, communal polarisation, Manuwadi values, and authoritarian control over every sphere and aspect of life.
THE recent announcement of the Union Government of an Rs. 20,000 crore (Rs. 19,794 crore) National Green Hydrogen Mission has created two kinds of questions. The most common reaction is what is green hydrogen? And do we have a plan for a green hydrogen path for which Rs. 20,000 crore is being earmarked?Let us get one fact straight: all shades of hydrogen—green, blue or grey—are only on how hydrogen is produced, not the colour of the gas. Regardless of how hydrogen is generated, it remains the same colourless, odourless gas.
AT one level Arjuna Bibi is no one special. She is one of the countless poor who are being deprived of even the basic amenities, a hapless populace being pushed to the wall with all their human rights trampled upon. But considered from another angle she is different as she has chosen not to perpetually suffer in silence but to challenge the mighty, to rise and protest against injustice. Again, at one level what has happened to her is nothing special.
CITU Tripura state committee has organised a mammoth central rally in Agartala on January 8 to protest against the anti-worker and anti-people policies of the government. Working people from all over the state reached Swami Vivekananda Ground, and participated in the rally in huge numbers.The ruling party BJP tried all sorts of intimidating means to prevent people from reaching the rally ground. Bus and vehicle owners were threatened not to spare vehicles for transportation of the participants.
THAT Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi is on an overdrive to serve his masters at the Centre was proved once again when he, during his customary address to the Assembly, intentionally omitted important phrases and words from the speech prepared by the state government and subsequently approved by him.
A BOOK sells at the most 10,000 copies in Tamil Nadu. The figure for Kerala is said to be 100,000. (Kerala's population is less than half of Tamil Nadu's.) But Ayesha, a book in Tamil relating to children's education, written by a dedicated teacher who is also a wonderful narrator, has crossed 200,000 in sales! This great achievement was celebrated at a meeting on January 5, 2023, organised by Bharathi Puthakalayam, the publisher of the book, at its book gallery for children in Chennai.